Machine for effecting relative movement between shoes and lasts



Sept. 16, 1947. N. H. KNowLTON uAcEINE Fon EFEEcTmG RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN sHoEs AND LAsTs Filed July ,16, 1946 [nz/enfer A n 0 /vamoad/z/A/Mvlfm sept.16.1947. N. H. KNOWLTON 2,421,351I

MACHINE FOR EFFECTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN lSHOES AND LASTS Filed July 1s, 194e 4 sheets-sheet 2 Sept. 16,1194?.

N,` H. KNOWLTON .MACHINE FOR EFFECTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SHESND LASTS Filed July 16, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept- '1 6 1947- N. H. K NcawLToN MACHINE FOR EFFEC'l-'ING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SHOES A'NDYLASTS Filed 4July 1s, 194e 4 Sheets-smet 4 .gagement with a driven friction tool.

Patented Sept. 16, 1947 MACHINE FOR- EFFECTING RELATEVE MOVEMENT; BETE/VEEN SHOES AND LASTS Norwoodv H. Knowlton, Rockport, Mass., assigner to United Shoe MachineryCorporation, Flein-Y ington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 16,1946, Serial No. 684,017

7 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for effecting relative movement between shoes and' lasts, and is herein disclosed as embodied in a machine for forcing shoes on lasts. The machine dis= closed herein, like that disclosed in my co-pend'- ing application for United States LettersPatent Serial No. 695,149, filed on July 14, 1945,' is provided with a treadle-operated last support` by which the operator can bring the bottom oi a shoe on. a last carried by the last support into en= Also like that machine, the machine disclosed herein, while intended primarily for use upon shoes of the platform type, will be found` convenient for operation upon shoes or other types and also for general use in relasting operations. i

It is an object of the present invention to provide, in a machine of the type under consideration, and arrangement whereby the locality of operation of the friction tool against the bottom of the shoe can be varied at will. In accordance with a feature of the invention, the illustrated machine is provided with a llast support constructed and arranged for movement tov bring the shoe bottom into engagement with the friction tooland also for ready movement by direct manual pressure in a direction to vary the localitvoi such engagement lengthwise of the shoe bottoin.- As shown herein, the last support is mounted upon a slide which is normally held by a spring in a stop position from which it may loe-depressed manually by the operator to enable the locality of operation to be varied. The slide is guided in a bearing which is short enough to cramprthefslide against longitudinal movement when the shoe is pressed againsty the frictionl tool. Such cramping of the `slide holds it against the irictional force which the tool exerts against theV shoe bottom. When the pressure of the shoe against the friction tool is released, the slide can move freely in its bearing. By the use of this device, the operator can conveniently `cause the operation to take place rst upon the forepart of the shoe bottom and then upon the shank portion.

In-accordance with a further feature ofthe invention, the last support,ras shown'herein, mayY comprise a last pin Vcapable of being secured in Various Y angular positions to accommodate a straight last or a hinged last in its extendedcpositionor, on the other hand, to accommodate a. collapsed last;

These, and other features of* the invention, ,inf cludingertain details of construction,y and combinations of partswillbe set forth yinqconnection,

with an illustrative machine and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, in section, of an i1- lustrative machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the machine, showing the last support in loading position;

Fig. a is a View similar'` to Fig. 3 showing the last pin tilted down;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the machine showing the forepart of a shoe bottom engaging the friction tool;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the shank portion of the shoe bottom vengaging the friction tool;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the last pin tilted to an intermediate position for use with lasts in collapsed condition; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. '7.

The Work engaging instrumentalities of the illustrative machine comprise a friction belt 2Q.

of rubber or other suitablefriction material, a last pin 23 mounted for tilting adjustment, a pair of supports 23 rigidly connected to the last pin.

andhaving beveled inner faces engageable with the lateral edges of the cone of the heel portion of a last, and a block 2li. The last pin 22 is adapted to engage the usual thimble hole of a last L upon which is loosely mounted a shoe S having a platform cover C to be turned down by asubsequent operation. It is adjusted in upright position to receive the last, and is then inclined to cause the toe of the shoe to point down, with the general plane of the shoe bottom but slightly inclined from the vertical. The block 24 (Fig. 3) has a channel-shaped portion comprising a base 25 cushioned by a leather pad 27 to form an abutment for engagement with the top of the forepart of the last L to sustain athrust against the shoe botom, and a pair of sidewalls 2i! which loosely engage opposite sides of the top of the forepart of the last to limit the turning ,movement of the last about the'last pin 22. kThe machine is so organized as to enable the operator to urge the bloei; 2d toward the belt 2li untiltheY y shoe bottom is engaged bythe belt, whereupon the belt, which is driven'while in frictional engagement with the shoe bottom,V will urge the shoe upwardly upon the last.

The belt 2U (Fig. l) is. loosely mounted .upon

a pair of rolls 29 Aand 'gland it surrounds a rubis jour-naled in suitable bearings formed in the upper portion of a hollow frame 3e. An opening 38 (Fig. 2) is formed in the forward portion of the frame 36 to enable the shoe -S to be brought into engagement with the belt vit. The shaft Sil is continuously driven in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 through gearing 30, a vertical shaft 0, gearing Q2, a horizontal shaft 3d, gearing 40, and a motor 48. The roll 2Q is mounted for free rotation upon a rod 50 which is secured between a pair of ears `52 depending from a shelf 54. The roll 30 is mounted for free rotation upon a rod 56 the ends of which are secured in a fork Eil carried by a rod 60 slidably mounted for purposes of adjustment in a guide bracket K62 secured by screw 6d (Fig. 1) to the frame l36. This arrangement for mounting the rod 56 enables it to be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly to provide as much or as little slack in the belt 20 as may be required. The rod 00 is clamped in its adjusted position by a setscrew (not shown). The belt 20, when not in use, rests lightly against the roll 32 and may be driven idly by such contact, but when pressed against the roll 32 by the shoe bottom it will be driven forcibly by the roll 32 and will, in turn, exert force against the shoe bottom in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. The belt 20, the roll 32 together with its driving mechanism, and the frame 36 are all substantially like the corresponding portions of the machine disclosed in application Serial No. 605,149 above referred to.

The last pin 22 and the block 25| are mounted, through connecting members later to be described7 upon a lever 68 having a forked lower end portion which is pivotally mounted upon a pair of trunnion pins T (Fig. 1) extending diametrical- 1y in a horizontal direction from a sleeve l2. Within the sleeve l2 is a sleeve 'ld which, in turn, is freely rotatable upon a horizontal pin iS secured in and extending forwardly from the front wall of the frame 36. 'forwardly and rearwardly, for purposes of adjustment, upon the sleeve lll and it may be secured in any desired position of such adjustment by a clamping bolt 'il operated through a hand wheel 18. The lever 08 is maintained in an upright position and is prevented from rotating about the axis of the pin 16 by a pin 80 secured 63 in and extending rearwardly from the lever and engaging a longitudinalslot 82 formed in the front wall of the frame 3S. The lever 58 has an arm Sli which extends rearwardly through an opening in the front Wall of the frame 30 and which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a link 86 the upper end of which link is pivotally connected to a lever 08 fulcrumed upon a pin 9,0 secured to and within the frame 33. A treadle rod 92 pivotally connected at its upper end to the lever 88 and at its lower end to a treadleV 94 enables the operator to swing the lever 68 rearwardly by depression of the treadle. A spring 96 normally holds the treadle in an upper stop position with the lever 68 swung outwardly away from the roll 32. The lever 63, together with its supporting and operating instrumentalities, isV somewhat similar` to the corresponding member disclosed in application Serial No. 605,149.

Formed in the lever `68 is a bearing 98 for guiding a slide |00 in Va direction which is approximately radial with respect to the trunnion pins T0. The bearing 90 is just long enough to permit free running of the slide |00'under normal conditions, and it is short enough to cramp the slide against movement when any considerable force is exerted on the slide transversely of the direction in which the slide is movable. The slide |00 is conveniently circular in cross section and it has a longitudinal groove |02 engaged by a pin (not shown) secured to the bearing 08 for preventing rotation. Adjustably fixed upon the slide |00 below the bearing 96 is a collar li. J ournaled in a lug |06 extending from the collar |06 is a shaft |03 having keyed upon it a knurled collar l0 by Vwhich it may be turned. Gear teeth (Fig. 8) formed on the shaft |08 mesh with rack teeth ||2 (Fig. 2) formed on the slide E00 relatively to the collar |04.

The sleeve 'i2 is slidable to provide for heightwise adjustment of the slide A pin |53 (Fig. S) engageable with any one of a plurality of holes |09 in the knurled collar [l0 locks the knurled collar positively in a desired position of adjustment. This adjustment can be varied by sliding the knurled collar along the shaft |58 to disengage it from the pin H3, whereupon the knurled collar can be turned to a new position of adjustment. A spring ||`5 yieldingly holds the knurled collar |i0 in a position cf engagement with the pin H3. Threaded into the slide |00 is a stop screw (Fig. 5) to prevent excessive upward adjustment of the slide.

Secured in a lug ||l| (Fig. 2) extending from the bearing 9B is a rod H0 which is substantially parallel to the slide |00. Secured at its upper end to a bent-over portion of the upper end of the rod H3 is a tension spring HB the lower end of which is secured to the lug |06. The eiect of the spring ||8 is normally to hold the slide up as far as permitted by the engagement of the lower end of the bearing 9B with the upper end of the collar |05. As shown herein, a washer |20 of leather or like material may be interposed between the bearing 9B and the collar |04 to absorb shock. It is evident from the above description that the slide |00 is normally maintained in its uppermost position by the spring ||8 and that this position maybe adjusted heightwise by turning the knurled co-llar I I0.

Secured upon the slide |00 adjacent to the upper end thereof by a set screw (not shown) is a collar |22. A block |24 is secured upon the slide |00 just above the collar |22 by a set screw |20 (Fig. 5). Securely fixed in the block |24 is an upstanding pin |28 upon Vwhich is pivotally mounted a block |30. A washer |32 Yis clamped against the protruding upper end of the pin |28 by a screw |36 threaded axially into the pin to retain the block |30 on the pin, while permitting free pivotal movement of the block |30. It will be noted that the axisY of the pin |28 is inclined somewhat to the axis of the slide |00; the block |24 is accordingly provided with an inclined rinished bearing surface, normal to the axis of the pin |28, for engagement With the nished under surface of the block |30 to permit free turning of the latter. The extent to which the block |30 may be turned to the right or left is limited by a pair of stop lugs |36 (Figs. `5, 6, and '7) formed on plates |38 which are clamped to the respective sidesof the block |24 by screws |39. The plates 53B are provided with slots |450 to accommodate the screws |39 for different positions of adjustment of the plates. VThe side faces of the block |30 arev plane and parallel and, when the block is turned far enough, they enter into stopping engagement with the lugs |36; the rearward end of the block |30, however, is rounded to avoid interference with the stop lugs.

Secured in the b-lock '|30 by a set screw |42 (Fig. 3) andhaving its axis normal. to the axis @f ftherinilzsis apin lllhavine a head llthe.,

from the block |138 into a slot |50 (Fig. 3) formedy in the block |43 is a guide lug |52 for affording additional Support to the block |48. A downwardly spring-pressed plunger |574, having a head l5@ bears against a at surface formed o n the head., |46- to hold` the block |48 normally in an upright position from which it may yield right r left` to forces` applied manually by the operator .upon the shoe andlast. The pivotal mounting ofthe block |48, the provision for its additional-support, and the arrangementl for holding it yieldingly in *upright position, are similar to corresponding features disclosed in application Serial No. 605,149.

Securely clamped to the side faces, of the block |4 8 -by screws |58 are a pair of parallel upwardly extending plates |65 (Figs. 2, 3, and 5) between which the block 24 is clamped by screws |6| (Fig. '7). Onthe upper inside portions of the plates |56 ,are formed a pair ofarcuate guideways |62 (Fig. 3) having a common horizontal axis which is alt right angles to, although not quite intersecting, the axis of the last pin 22.` Between the upper end portions of the plates |58 and having arcuate lugs |63 (Fig. 6) which are slidable in the" guideways |62 is a block |64. The last Din 22fis securely xed in the block |64, and the last supports 23are clamped in upstanding position to the'side 'walls of the blockA |64-above the plates Hill.` The block |64 is freely rotatable in the guideways |62 and it may be secured in any desifredposition of rotation by a spring-pressed detentV |66 (Fig. 3) fulcrumed yonv a pin |68 secured in the plates |56 and having a lug engageable with any one of a plurality of recesses |70 (Fig. 7) formed on' the periphery of one of the arcuate slide lugs |63 of the block |54. TheY block |64 ofthe illustrated machine is provided with three such'recesses, one for holding the last pin substantially upright, as shown in Fig. 3, one for holdingY itin a rearwardly inclined position which is nearly horizontal, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 6, and .one for holding it in an intermediate rearwardly inclined position, as shown in Fig. '7.

In` order to'enable the ro-ll 32 to ,come to rest if excessive resistanceis encountered during the operation, the shafts-i is driven through a multiplev plate clutch indicated generally on Fig. 2 by the reference numeral H2. The maximum torque which may be transmitted by this clutch can be adjusted by varying the compression. of a spring |14.

In the performance of the operation, the last L is placed upon the last pin 22 with the last pin adjusted in upright position. For convenience this may be done with the block 3l) turned about the pin |28 to one of its stop positions to bring the longitudinal axis of the shoe substantially parallel to the axis of the roll 32 as shown in Fig. 3. The toe end of the shoe, as shown in that figure, has been turned toward the right, andthe left-hand side wall (not visible) of the block |36 is against the left-hand stop lug |36. The shoe may now be loosely mounted on the last by hand, with the heel strap left unbuckled. It may be noted that the last pin 22 of the present machine, when adjusted in its upright position, can thus be used for the preliminary placins vof the Shoe upon the last in pla-ce of the` stationary last pin |26fof the machinedisclosed in application Serial No. 605,149 and the stabrought into engagement with the belt and rota-` tion of the roll 32. is transmitted frictionally through the belt against the shoe bottom to,` force the shoe farther upon the last.

While the shoe is thus pressed against thez friction belt, the block lirnay turn slightly to one side or the other about the pin l 26 automatically to balance the pressure and insure even ldistribution of pressure on the opposite sides of thecente-r line of theshoe, or the operator may manually exerta turning force upon the block, as Yhas beenvpointed out in application Serial No. 605,149. It

will be no-ted that, with reference to Fig. 5, thev cone of the forepart of they last engages the pad 2'lvto hold the last aganstcollapsing while the shoewis pressedagainst the friction belt and also that the side walls 26 hold the last against rotation about the last pin as has already been'explained in application Serial No. 605,149. The pad 2? may ho-ld the last away from the lateral supports 23, which, are not needed when the side walls 28 vhold the last from rotating about the last pin. The operation may thuis b e performed.

upon aliinged last in. straight or extended condition and it is often. convenient to perform it in this way when the shoes have open backs pijovided with only a heel strap.

Fig. 5 shows the forepart of the shoe bottom in engagement with the friction` belt *andV with the slide lill), in its uppermost position. However, it is often desirable, after the toe endof the shoe has thus been. lurged on the last, to apply a frictional force upon the shoe bottom at the shanl;l

portion. This is readily acc-omplishedby slackening the pressure upon the treadle and-,then pushing the lasted shoe down by hand against the tension of the spring H8. The operator can judge by eye just how farv the shoe should be lowered, and, having` brought it to the desired position, hebears down again on the treadle and brings the shank portion of the shoeinto engagement with the friction'belt as shown in Fig. 6. Thepressure exerted through the treadle to urge the shoe against the roll also causes the slide |69 to crampy in its bearing 98 and thus to become locked against longitudinal or heightwise movement. The operator is thereby relieved of having to hold the shoe and last down against the upward frictional force which the belt 20 exerts upon the shoe bottom. When the shank portion of the shoe has been urged far enough upon the last, the operator releases the treadle, buckles the heel strap, and removes` the last with the shoe properly mounted thereon.

For operating upon shoes with closed backs, it is usually convenient to keep the last in broken or collapsed condition as shown in Fig. 7. In such case the last pin'22 is adjusted lin its intermediate tilted position before the machine is treadled to bring the shoe into engagement with the friction belt. The lateral supports 23 hold the last against turning about the last pin. After The lateral supports 23y the forepart and the shank portion of the shoe with the block |30 turned sidewise about the pinl28 to bring the shoe out of the way of the friction belt.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for effecting relative movement between shoes and lasts comprising a support for a last, a driven friction tool engageable with the bottom of a shoe on the last, and a carrier for said last support constructed and arranged for movement to bring the shoe bottom into and out of engagement with the friction tool and also for ready movement by direct manual pressure in a direction to vary the locality of such engagement lengthwise of the shoe bottom.

2. A machine for forcing shoes on lasts comprising a support for a last, a driven friction tool engageable with the bottom of a shoe looseli7 mounted on a last on said last support, an extensible lever on which said lastI support is mounted, a support on which said lever is pivotally mounted for swinging movement toward and from the friction tool, and means for swinging said lever lto bring the bottom of the shoe into and out of engagement with the friction tool, said lever being constructed and arranged to change its eifective length in response to forces exerted by the operator as he grasps the partially lasted shoe, thereby enabling the operator to bring either the forepart `or the shank portion of the shoe bottom at will into engagement with the friction tool.

3. A machine for forcing shoes on lasts comprising a support for a last, a driven friction tool engageable with the bottom of a shoe loosely lmounted on a last on said last support, a slide on which said last support is mounted, a carrier having a guideway for said slide, a spring normally holding said slide in a stop position in said guideway, and means for moving said carrier to bring the bottom of the shoe into and out of engagement with the friction tool, the slide being displaceable in o-pposition to said spring to vary the locality of engagement of the shoe bottom with the friction tool.

4. A machine for forcing shoes on lasts comprising a last pin, a driven friction tool engageable with the bottom of a shoe loosely mounted on a last on said last pin, a slide on which said last pin is mounted, a lever pivotally mounted for swinging movement toward and from said friction tool and having a guideway for said slide,

a spring normally holding said slide in a stop position in said guideway, a treadle, and connections from said treadle to said lever whereby the lever can be swung by depression of the treadle to bring the bottom of the shoe into engagement with the friction tool, said slide being manually displaceable in opposition to said spring to vary the locality of engagement; of the shoe bottom with the friction tool.

5. A machine for forcing shoes on lasts comprising a support for a last, a driven friction tool engageable with' the bottom of a shoe loosely mounted on a last on said last support, a slide on which said last support is mounted, a bearing for guiding said slide for longitudinal movement, said bearing being short to cramp the slide against longitudinal movement when a thrust transverse to the direction of said longitudinal movement is,V applied to the partially lasted shoe, and means for moving said slide to bring the bottom of the shoe into and out of operative engagement with the friction tool, said slide being Vreadily movable in said bearing to enable the operator to position the shoe for engagement of either the forepart or the shank portion of the shoe bottom with the friction too-l, said slide also being locked against longitudinal movement by the cramping action of the bearing when the shoe is pressed against the friction tool,

6. A machine for forcing'shoes on lasts comprising a support for alast, a driven friction tool engageable with thel bottom of a shoe loosely mounted on a last on said last support, a slide on which said last support is mounted, a bearing forguiding said slide, stop means for limiting the movement in one direction of the slide relatively-to the bearing, means for adjusting said stop means lto vary the position in which the stop means limits said movement, a spring for normally holding said slide in said limiting position, and means for moving saidbearing to bring the shoe bottom into and out of engagement with the friction tool.

'7. A machinevfor effecting relative movement between, shoes and lasts comprising a support for a last, a driven friction tool engageable with the bottom of :a vshoe on a last on said support, means for eifecting relative movement between the last support 4and the friction tool to cause operative engagement between the shoe bottom and the tool, and means for maintaining said last support in a predetermined angular position with respect to the tool, said maintaining means being adjustable to vary said angular position to accommodate lasts in either straight or collapsed condition.

,NoRwooD H. KNOWLTON. 

